Lightning-arrester and cut-out



(No Model.)

0. GIESEKB. LIGHTNING ARRESTER AND GUT-OUT.

No. 546,523. Patented Sept. 17,1895.

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with. rates OTTO GIESEKE, OF LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA.

LIGHTNlNG-ARRES-TER AND CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,523, datedSeptember 17, 1895.

Application filed March 26, 1894.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OTTO GIESEKE, of the city of Lake Charles, Oalcasieuparish, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lightning-Arresters and Cut-Outs, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The object of my invention is to be found in the provision of improvedmeans to be employed conjunctively with an electric instrument in alight or power circuit, whereby upon the occurrence of an excess ofcurrent on a given line from which injury to the instruments or plantnormally would follow such excess of current will automatically cut-outthe given line and then be grounded, such short circuit and ground beingmaintained a length of time dependent upon the life and strength of saidexcess of current, the normal or working circuit being re-establishedautomatically upon the expiration of such time without appreciable lossby damage to the instruments or plant.

My invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe complete device. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a lighting system inwhich the device is employed.

In the construction of the device as shown the numeral designates asupport having binding-plates 11 12 thereon, said bindingplates eachhaving binding-posts 13 14. The binding-posts 13 13 are fixed to theadjacent end portions of line-wires 15 16, respectively, which wires 1516 conjunctively form the working line of the system. The bindingposts14 1 1 are respectively connected with the lower end portions of wires17 18, the upper end portions of which wires are respectivelyinserted inthe opposite end portions of a transversely-located tube 19 ofnon-conductive material. The tube 19 contains fluid, preferably mercury,of normally great conductivity and adapted to assume a quality of greatresistance under higher degrees of tem- Serial No. 505,160. no model.)

peraturesuch as water, mercury, potassium, or cadmiumin that portionthereof not occupied by the end portions of the wires 17 18, a

constant supply of said fluid being contained in and fed from areservoir 20, located above and communicating with the central portionof the said tube 19. The reservoir 20 is provided with a normally closedingress-openingin its upper portion, through which access may be had tothe interior of said reservoir for cleansing or filling the same. Thetube 19 and reservoir 20 are secured to the support 10 by a staple ortie 21. A discharge plate 22 is mounted upon the support 10 adjacent andapproximately parallel to the binding-plates ll 12, the edges of thebinding-plates contiguous to the discharge-plate being serrated orsinuous and presenting a large number of projecting points 23, wherefromthe current is short-circuited to the discharge-plate. A ground-wire 24:is connected to a binding-post 25 on the discharge-plate 22 and leadstherefrom to aground at some convenient point.

In Fig. 3 is shown a system in which is employed a lamp and an arresteron either side of said lamp, or, in other words, one arrester in thesupply-circuit and one in the return-circuit, thus providing for theprotection of the lamp irrespective of the point on the working line atwhich the excess of current is induced.

Upon the occurrence of an excess of current the heat generated therebyraises the temperature of the fluid in the tube 19 and reservoir 20 to adegree at which said fluid will be vaporized and present a highresistance to and break the current in the working line, and at thistime the entire current will follow the line of least resistance andshort-circuit from the projections 23 of the plates 11 12 to thedischarge-plate 22 and thence to ground. The excess of current havingabated the fluid rapidly assumes a lower or normal degree oftemperature, and again offering the line of least resistance to thecurrent said current will reassume its normal line of travelautomatically and without damage to the plant. The opening at the upperend of the reservoir 20 being loosely closed by a cork or plug, asshown, said cork or plug will act as a safety-valve .when the mercuryboils, and

said tube, and a body of conducting-fluid located in the reservoir andsaid tube and normally forming a connection between said terminals,substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO GIESEKE. Witnesses:

R. E. .MCDONALD, HOWARD ACKERMAN.

